Direct timing system for internal combustion engine

ABSTRACT

The object of this invention is to simplify the timing system of all types of internal combustion engine. The system eliminates existing conventional timing trains. The hydraulic, mechanical or electrical/electronic direct timing systems that form the subject of the invention offer minimal resistance and minimal transmission. The piston strokes are given directly by the crankshaft by means of a system fixed thereto which via a mechanical or hydraulic or electrical or electronic system transmits the strokes to the cylinder valves. The system can be connected to all types of indirect transmission and has adjusting systems that allow it to be adapted to suit all types of internal combustion engine.

The subject matter of this invention is an engine system more efficient in the use of fuels through simplifying the timing system of all types of internal combustion engines. The system does not necessitate camshafts or tappets nor transmission wheels, or transmission chain, nor gears, nor desmodromic timing, nor intermediate mechanical bearing or belt timing. This system enables lighter engines with higher efficiencies. The system eliminates the conventional timing transmission systems existing at present in internal combustion engines. The hydraulic direct timing system (or the other two types described hereinafter) that is the subject matter of the invention has a minimum resistance and a minimum transmission.

This system may be thought of as an information system exploiting the motion of the crankshaft to provide the engine timing. This is thanks to various types of devices, notably a rotor device attached to and fast with the crankshaft that, contained in a casing, by its movement actuates plungers or triggers electrical sensors, depending on the type, the latter transmitting their timing to the piston valves.

Compared to present engines, the systems make it possible to produce improved performance: greater acceleration and lower fuel consumption with fewer cylinders. The quantity of fuel necessary to produce the same amount of work as the present system is much lower.

PROBLEM AND TECHNICAL FIELD Timing in Internal Combustion Engines

Present internal combustion engines necessitate relatively complex, costly and bulky timing systems, such as camshafts, tappets, transmission wheels, transmission chain, gears, desmodromic timing, intermediate mechanical bearing, belt timing.

Advantage of the Direct Timing System Relative to the Present State of the Art.

The engine starts with fewer turns of the starter motor. It starts more quickly than present engines. This enables a battery, electricity saving. This enables the use of a smaller and less powerful battery given the lower consumption of electricity on starting the engine. The pistons do not have to drive a camshaft as there is none in the system, which generates less friction and reduces the number of mechanisms: they are freer. The engine produces more power (horsepower) than existing systems. The engine has fewer transmission moving parts. With less transmission timing will be faster. The intake, compression, power, exhaust cycle is faster. This implies a saving in terms of fuel consumption. If the direct timing system suffers a fault in the hydraulic circuit, the valves will be closed automatically by the valve springs, eliminating the valves from the corresponding cycle. The system can operate with three cylinders. The location of the fault will be obvious given the loss of liquid in the pipes. Repair will not necessitate retuning the engine.

Cylinder Head Advantages.

The system enables the cylinder heads to be situated at a lower position compared to engines existing at present. As the cylinder head is lower the cooling liquid can enter at a higher pressure, which results in improved cooling. The low position of the cylinder head makes it more difficult to damage it. The system allows the use of smaller valves and springs. This enables a saving of materials in the construction of the cylinder heads, springs and valves.

DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1: The numbers and references between parentheses in the description and in the claims refer back to the encircled references in the FIGURE.

COMPONENTS OF THE SYSTEM Direct Timing Components

Rotor (1).

The rotor (1) actuates the mechanism that opens and closes the valves. The rotor consists of a mechanism fixed directly to the crankshaft (2) by four through-bolts (2A). Said mechanism is made up of two superposed cams (1A, 1B), curved at their ends where the movement of the pistons is timed with reference to the opening of the cylinder head valves (3) relative to the engine timing (intake, compression, power, exhaust). The contact portion of the two cams (1A, 1B) consists of an antifriction material. The rotor has a screw type adjustment guide (1C). The rotor (1) also acts as a lubrication pump by virtue of its movement distributing oil onto the areas of contact between it and the rotor plungers (5).

Rotor Casing (4).

This consists of a casing (4) itself made up of two hermetically sealed covers: a front cover (4A) and a rear cover (4B) in which the rotor (1) is housed. A register (4C) is attached to the front cover (4A) by four 4F type screws (4F), sixteen screws (4D) joining the two hermetically sealed covers (4A and 4B) around the rotor (4). Four screws (4E) retain the rotor casing (4) on the engine block. Two screws (4F) are used for topping up and for filling and draining oil. Two hermetic seals (4G and 4H) respectively join the front cover (4A) and the rear cover (4B) to the rotor casing (4). A register seal (41) joins the register (4C) to the casing (4) of the rotor. The oil seal (4J) is situated in the rear hermetically sealed cover (4B). Said casing (4) contains eight plungers (5). The plungers, pushed by the rotor connected to the crankshaft, transmit movement to the cylinder head valves (3) via transmission pipes (7). The rotor casing (4) is filled with a quantity of oil approximating 15% to 25% of its volume. The register (4C) is used to attach the oil pump and indirect transmission systems (water pump, alternator, air-conditioner, power steering, servomotor).

Rotor Plungers (5).

A plunger comprises a piston (5A), a plunger (5B), a spring (5C), two washers (5D) and two cavities (5E) in which are housed two piston rings (5F). The contact portion of the piston of the plunger (5B) is made of an antifriction material.

Valve Plungers (6).

These are the same as the rotor plungers, the only difference being the shape of the head of the plunger (6A). The contact portion of the plunger (6A) is made of an antifriction material.

Transmission Pipe (7).

A transmission pipe consists of a flexible tube (7A) and an adjuster washer (7B). There are eight pipes of the same type, each connecting a valve of a valve plunger (6) to a rotor plunger (5). The transmission pipes are filled with oil.

The pipes may use three different plunger systems:

1. Hydraulic plunger: the pipes are filled only with oil.

2. Ball plunger: the pipes are filled with oil and balls (7C) having a diameter corresponding to the inside diameter of the pipe.

3. Bullet plunger: the pipes are filled with oil and bullet-shaped members (7D) and balls (7C) having a diameter corresponding to the inside diameter of the pipe.

Strip (8).

The strip is made up of eight cavities (8A) in which are housed the valve plungers (6), each of which is attached by two screws (6B) to the strip (8), which includes sixteen holes (8B). The strip (8) is fixed by six screws (8C) that fasten it to the cylinder head. The strip is perforated internally by a lubrication system (8D) that has the function of lubricating the valve plungers (6).

Tuning of Hydraulic Direct Timing System.

Present engines are generally tuned in the following order that is retained in the hydraulic direct timing system:

In piston order (not shown in the drawings): 1, 3, 4, 2.

We use the same ignition order by opening the valves in the same order.

The Hydraulic Direct Timing Cycle.

The cycle of opening the valves is defined by the rotor. The cycle is the same as the cycle of a conventional four-stroke engine. In the first quarter-turn of the crankshaft (0 to 90°) two valves will open in the cylinder head: the intake valve of the piston 1 and the exhaust valve of the piston 3. In the second quarter-turn of the crankshaft (90 to 180°) two valves will open in the cylinder head: the intake valve of the piston 3 and the exhaust valve of the piston 4. In the third quarter-turn of the crankshaft (180 to 270°) two valves will open in the cylinder head: the intake valve of the piston 4 and the exhaust valve of the piston 2. In the fourth quarter-turn of the crankshaft (270 to 360°) two valves will open in the cylinder head: the intake valve of the piston 2 and the exhaust valve of the piston 1. This completes the cycle.

Adaptations.

The direct timing system is designed to be coupled to conventional indirect transmission systems such as alternator, water pump, air-conditioner, power steering, servomotor and the oil pump. The oil pump coupled to the direct timing system is situated off the crankshaft. This makes it possible to reduce the size of the crankcase, the oil pump being situated off the latter.

Electrical Direct Timing System.

An electric rotor system differs in the following respects.

Eight electrical sensors corresponding to the eight cylinder head valves are placed in the rotor casing.

In the electrical system the eight cylinder head valves are electromagnetic valves.

The eight electrical sensors replace the rotor plungers.

In this electrical system the rotor includes on its contact surface devices that can be detected by the sensors when they are at a predetermined distance from the latter.

The sensors are connected to a central unit (which can be a computer, an electronic system, etc.) that by centralizing the information sent by the sensors determines the position of the rotor and consequently commands opening of the electromagnetic cylinder head valves in real time, the electromagnetic cylinder head valves also being connected to the central unit. 

1. A direct timing system applicable to any internal combustion engine that is wherein a timing system giving the timing of the cylinders with direct reference to the movement of the crankshaft by means of a mechanical system attached to the crankshaft and fast with the crankshaft; the latter system comprises a rotor contained in a rotor casing and connected to the valves by an electrical system or an electronic system or a hydraulic system or a mechanical system; this rotor exploits the rotation movement of the crankshaft to transmit the engine timing to the valves, the hydraulic and mechanical systems comprising information and force transmission tubes provided with an adjuster washer and rotor and valve plungers, the latter fixed to a strip; the rotor has a screw type adjustment guide and also acts as an oil pump; the system may be coupled to any conventional indirect transmission systems by means of a register.
 2. The direct timing system as claimed in claim 1 applicable to any internal combustion engine that includes as a subsystem an information transmission system as claimed in claim 1 wherein a system that uses the crankshaft in order to transmit the timing of the cylinders by means of a device directly fastened to and coupled to the crankshaft; this device may be a rotor attached to and fast with the crankshaft connected to the valves by an electrical system or an electronic system or a hydraulic system or a mechanical system; it exploits the rotation movement of the crankshaft to transmit the engine timing to the valves: in the exemplified system each quarter-turn of the crankshaft will open two valves via the rotor, the transmission tubes and the plungers: one intake valve and one exhaust valve, this coordinating the timing of the cylinders by the inherent motion of the crankshaft to which the rotor is directly attached.
 3. The direct timing system as claimed in claim 1 applicable to any internal combustion engine that includes as a subsystem a rotor as claimed in claim 1 that is wherein: the rotor actuates the mechanism that opens and closes the valves, the rotor consists of a mechanism fixed directly to the crankshaft by four through-bolts, said mechanism is made up of two superposed cams curved at their ends where the movement of the pistons is timed with reference to the opening of the cylinder head valves relative to the engine timing (intake, compression, power, exhaust); the contact portion of the two cams consists of an antifriction material; the rotor has a screw type adjustment guide; the rotor also acts as a lubrication pump by virtue of its movement distributing oil onto the areas of contact between it and the rotor plungers; the rotor is contained in a rotor casing; the latter contains the rotor plungers; the register is attached to it.
 4. The direct timing system as claimed in claim 1 applicable to any internal combustion engine that includes as a subsystem a hydraulic or semi-hydraulic or semi-mechanical information transmission system as claimed in claim 1 comprising transmission tubes, wherein: a transmission tube consists of a flexible tube and an adjuster washer; there are eight pipes of the same type, each connecting a valve of a valve plunger to a rotor plunger; depending on their type, the transmission pipes are filled with oil, balls, bullet-shaped members.
 5. The direct timing system as claimed in claim 1 applicable to any internal combustion engine that includes as a subsystem: a plunger and information transmission system as claimed in claim 1 wherein flexible or rigid pipes adapted to use various different plunger systems: hydraulic plunger: the pipes are filled only with oil; ball plunger: the pipes are filled with oil and balls having a diameter corresponding to the inside diameter of the pipe; bullet plunger: the pipes are filled with oil and bullet-shaped members and balls having a diameter corresponding to the inside diameter of the pipe; it is possible to conceive of other types and combinations of objects for filling the tubes; the plunger system has two effects: it can transmit information and moreover a force by virtue of the movement of what fills the pipes, in two opposite directions; in the system claimed in claim 1 information from the rotor is transmitted to the cylinders and the force actually opens the cylinder head valves via valve plungers, the push/force corresponding to claim 1 to information transmission.
 6. The direct timing system as claimed in claim 1 applicable to any internal combustion engine that includes as a subsystem: rotor and valve plungers as claimed in claim 1 that are wherein: the rotor plungers include a piston, a plunger, a spring, two washers and two cavities in which are housed two piston rings, the contact portion of the piston of the plunger is made of an antifriction material, the plungers pushed by the movement of the rotor transmit push in the mechanical or hydraulic information transmission system, namely the transmission tubes; the valve plungers are the same as the rotor plungers, the only difference being the shape of the head of the plunger the contact portion of the plunger is made of an antifriction material; the valve plungers produce the opening and closing movements of the valves in order to produce the engine timing.
 7. The direct timing system as claimed in claim 1 applicable to any internal combustion engine that includes as a subsystem an electrical or electronic direct timing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the use of sensors at the level of the rotor for indicating the position of the latter to a central unit that will determine the opening and closing of the cylinder head valves, the latter being electromagnetic valves in an electrical and electronic system; an electrical rotor system as claimed in claim 1, including in the rotor casing eight electrical sensors corresponding to the eight cylinder head valves; in the electrical or electronic system the eight cylinder head valves are electromagnetic valves; the eight electrical sensors replace the rotor plungers; in this electrical system the rotor includes on its contact surface devices that can be detected by the sensors when they are at a predetermined distance from the latter; the sensors are connected to a central unit (which can be a computer, an electronic system, etc.) that by centralizing the information sent by the sensors determines the position of the rotor and consequently commands opening of the electromagnetic cylinder head valves in real time, the electromagnetic cylinder head valves also being connected to the central unit.
 8. The direct timing system as claimed in claim 1 applicable to any internal combustion engine that includes as a subsystem an adapter system and a register as claimed in claim 1 wherein the direct timing system can be coupled to conventional indirect transmission systems such as alternator, water pump, air-conditioner, power steering, servomotor and the oil pump; the oil pump coupled to the direct timing system is situated off the crankshaft by means of a register used to attach the oil pump and the indirect transmission systems.
 9. The direct timing system as claimed in claim 1 applicable to any internal combustion engine that includes as a subsystem an adjustment/tuning system as claimed in claim 1 that is wherein a strip for adjusting the length of the transmission tubes.
 10. An engine using the system as claimed in claim
 1. 